Bright Lights, Big City
by RemyCool
Summary: Chloe is on a mission to find a bright light to help Clark battle the darkness and finds it in a cocky young pilot in California.
1. Chapter 1

It had been months since Chloe had escaped government custody. She knew that Clark, Lois and Oliver would be worried sick about her, but this was the best thing she could do for them right now. The helmet of Nabu had shown her many things and she knew that now, more than ever, there was real work to be done.

Nabu had shown her the coming darkness and Clark's role in stopping it. It would be a tough battle and he would have to be stronger than he had ever been before. Fortunately, he would not be alone. Others would stand beside him and fight. Including, she hoped, the young man she was going to see. Nabu had shown her this as well.

She continued driving west, knowing by instinct where she was headed. She would reach her destination soon. Then the real work would begin.

Out in space, a mysterious object hurtled towards Earth at impossible speeds. If one were to examine it closer, one might think it to be a transport of some kind. It entered the atmosphere in a trail of fire and streaked towards the southwest United States. Its pilot was injured and doing his best to manage an emergency landing. He could only hope that he could keep the ship aloft long enough to manage crashing in a remote area. The last thing he needed was civilian casualties.

Not far away, a jet shot through the air. The pilot was a brash young man in his early twenties and while his attention should have been on the horizon and his altimeter, he was instead thinking about a pretty brunette back at the airfield and the best way to convince her to join him for dinner tonight. He noticed a movement in the corner of his eye and turned in time to see the strange vessel streak by.

Chloe looked up as the jet flew overhead as she continued towards the next city. In her rearview mirror, she saw the strange object streak into the California desert. She returned her focus to the road as she drove by a sign that said "COAST CITY - NEXT EXIT".


	2. Chapter 2

**Author's Note: As some of you may have guessed, this is my version of a Smallville introduction for Green Lantern Hal Jordan. One of my favorite things about Smallville is the way they introduce some of Superman's greatest allies but I haven't failed to notice the lack of attention towards my favorite ringslinger. I decided to address the oversight myself by pputting a bit of a Smallville twist on the familiar origin story. You'll undoubtedly recognize some of the characters and plot elements, but i hope I'll be creative enough to put a bit of a fresh spin on the tale.**

**P.S. If any of Smallville's writers or producers happen to read this, I am available for an episode or two.**

**As always, leave a review on the way out. It is your input that helps me make a better story for you, the readers.  
**

Twenty minutes later, the jet was on the ground and the pilot out of the cockpit. As he reached the ground, an attractive brunette approached him. She was not happy. "Mind explaining some of those maneuvers, Jordan? You nearly broke about a half dozen safety guidelines with those stunts."

"Just loosening up, Carol, and would it kill you to call me Hal?" he replied as he removed his flight helmet.

"As I have explained before, Captain Jordan, this is business and I expect you to behave as a professional. That means during business hours I will address you as Captain Jordan and you will address me as Miss Ferris, got it?"

"Okay, Miss Ferris, but what about after hours? Perhaps over dinner tonight?"

"Dream on, flyboy. I've told you before about my policy on dating employees." She turned and walked away leaving behind a smiling Hal and his confused mechanic, a young Inuit named Tom. He approached Hal, shaking his head.

"You do love stirring up trouble, don't you, boss?"

"Just wearing her down, Tom. She'll come around." He turned towards the hangar and caught sight of a pretty blonde who seemed lost. "In the meantime, there's always Plan B." He watched as the young woman started towards another hangar and followed her.

Chloe noticed the pilot following her but kept up her lost routine. She spun around when the man said "Excuse me, miss, can I help you? You look lost."

"Maybe you can," she replied with a pretty smile. "I'm looking for Carol Ferris. I'm with the FAA and I just needed to ask her a few questions." She glanced down at his hands and saw that there was nothing on his finger. To a casual observer, it would look like she was checking for a wedding ring. However, she was checking for a different kind of bling.

Hal noticed the young woman's glance and was tempted to ask her out for a drink. "Her office is in Hangar 12, but I think she has a meeting right now. Perhaps I could help you pass the time?"

Chloe couldn't help but smile. She had to admit that the guy was charming and , under different circumstances, she might have taken him up on his offer. However, she had a boyfriend and a job to do. "Tempting, but I think I'll pass. Maybe another time." She walked away, leaving an exasperated Hal staring after her.

Hal was slightly put off at having been turned down twice in the space of ten minutes, but figured he was just having an off day. He headed into the hangar where Carol let him keep his father's plane and climbed into the cockpit. The plane was a rundown antique and hadn't flown in years, but Hal liked coming in here to think. He settled into the pilot's seat and closed his eyes, listening to the sounds of the airfield and reminiscing about flights with his dad.

Out in the desert, a mysterious figure crawled out of the wreckage and collapsed on the ground. He was badly wounded and fading fast, but determination kept him going. He had a job to do and had to do it fast. Lifting his hand, he whispered "Find him." A small green ring removed itself from his finger and streaked off into the distance, leaving a trail of brilliant emerald light in its wake. It, too, had a mission. One of great importance.


	3. Chapter 3

Chloe watched from her car as the green light blazed towards the airfield. She had seen this in her visions and knew what was about to happen. The light slowed as it neared the airfield, swaying left and right as if looking for something. Finally, it turned towards the hangar and surged forward. _Any second now, Hal Jordan is about to be thrust into a brave new world._

In the hangar, Hal sat in the cockpit of his dad's plane, staring at the sky through the skylight. His mind drifted back to his youth and remembered when his father used to fly. He had thought that Martin Jordan was indestructible and the pilot had certainly acted it, putting every plane he flew through paces other pilots would deem impossible or, at the very least, insane. Hal once said to his mother that his father wasn't afraid of anything. She agreed, albeit with exasperation.

Hal continued gazing at the sky when something caught his eye. A small but bright glow had appeared in the air above him. It hovered over his head as he took in its light. It almost seemed to be calling to him. In fact, he was nearly certain that he heard a voice whisper his name. "_Hal Jordan, you have been chosen."_

"Okay, I'm hearing things." He blinked and rubbed his eyes, thinking he had fallen asleep. "Carol will kill me for snoozing on the job." When he looked again, the light was gone from the sky. "Last time I fall asleep in a cockpit, I promise."

Suddenly, he noticed the glow again. It was hovering in front of his face. "_Hal Jordan, you have been chosen."_

"Okay, definitely not hearing things. I'm going to regret asking this, but what have I been chosen for?'

The green light did not answer. Instead, it flew forward and wrapped itself around Hal's right middle finger, revealing itself to be a ring. Hal had very little time to observe it as his arm suddenly jerked up and he found himself being pulled into the sky. Part of his brain was screaming at the prospect of being hurled through the sky without being strapped to a pair of wings. Another, more dominant, part of his brain couldn't help but think how cool this was. He finally managed to calm himself as he enjoyed the feeling of zipping through the sky.

On the ground below, Chloe watched as the pilot streaked away in an emerald flash. She started the engine and followed as fast as she could.

Hal watched the desert rush past him below as he headed towards…well, he still didn't know what, but he couldn't wait to find out. As he flew through the California sky, he thought he heard voices whispering in his ear. Telling him that he was chosen, that he was receiving a great destiny, that he was capable of overcoming fear. And out of the corner of his eye, he thought he saw a car driving below.

Soon, he forgot the car and the voice as he saw a sight far too familiar to him. The sight of burning wreckage. He felt a dull pain in his chest as he took in the sight. At first, he thought that a fellow pilot had suffered a mechanical failure and gone down. Hal could only hope he had punched out in time until he took a closer look at the wreck and saw that it was clearly not a plane, at least not one of human design. It almost reminded him of something out of his brother's comic books.

On closer inspection, he saw what looked like a person, presumably the vessel's pilot. He looked badly injured. Hal wanted to go down there and help him and suddenly found himself descending to the ground. As soon as his feet touched the sand, he ran towards the stranger. "Hey, are you all right?'

The stranger looked up at him and the first thing Hal noticed was that he was clearly not from around here. He had deep red skin and he was devoid of any visible hair. Purple blood flowed from the many open wounds on his body and he stared at Hal with pain in his bright green eyes. Taking in the sight of the ring on Hal's finger, he sighed with relief. "It is you. Thank the stars," he said with shallow breaths.

"Don't talk," Hal said as he reached the being's side. "Save your breath. I'll figure out a way to help you."

"Too late for that. I've not got much time, but I am enormously relieved to see you."

Chloe had followed Hal as closely as she could without being noticed. After a while, however, the road went in a different direction from the pilot and she had to pull over. She knew she would not be able to keep up on foot, so she waited. He would be back soon enough, then the real work would begin.

"What happened to your…ship, I guess?" Hal asked the being.

"I was transporting a criminal when he got loose and attacked me. The ship was damaged in the process and I was forced into an emergency landing."

"All due respect from one pilot to another, but your landings could use some work."

"No other choice. It was either here or in the city nearby. Landing there would have cost lives. Here, the only person who gets hurt is me."

Hal sat in silence as he remembered the last time he had heard those words. His father had spoken them on the day he died, forcing a malfunctioning plane into a crash landing and sacrificing himself to protect the crowd below, including Hal. He felt a connection with this strange alien who acted so much like his father and wished there were something he could do for him.

"Who are you?" the alien asked.

"Hal Jordan. I'm a pilot at the airfield nearby. What's your name?"

"I am called Abin Sur. I am pleased to meet you, Hal Jordan. I can tell by your spirit that the ring has chosen well."

For the first time, Hal remembered the ring on his finger and looked at it. It seemed to be made from some kind of green metal, but it felt as light as paper. It was of a round design and it bore a unique symbol in the center. It was a circle with two horizontal lines along the top and bottom. "It said I was chosen. Chosen for what?"

"My replacement. I'll soon be dead and somebody has to finish what I started. Somebody has to take my place."

"What do you mean?"

"I am a member of an intergalactic peacekeeping force. There are over three thousand of us protecting different parts of the universe. This world is part of my sector. Now, the responsibility for protecting it is in your hands."

"Me? Are you sure you have the right guy?"

"The ring chose you. It wouldn't have done so if it didn't think you were capable. Still, the choice is yours alone. If you wish, you can return to your life and it will be as if none of this had ever happened. Or you can accept this responsibility and step into a larger world."

"I've never been one to run away. I accept."

Abin nodded as a slight smile crossed over his face. "Then the ring has chosen well and I may rest easy knowing that this sector is in good hands. Goodbye, Hal Jordan, and good luck." He closed his eyes and his body grew still.

Suddenly, the ring glowed brighter and began to speak. Its voice was everywhere and nowhere all at once. "Hal Jordan of Earth, you have the ability to overcome great fear. Welcome to the Green Lantern Corps."

As Chloe watched the sky, she saw a distant green flash. She started her car and turned back towards the city. "It's time."


	4. Chapter 4

**Hey, guys. Sorry for the delay, but between Christmas, my birthday, and New Year's, I've been relaxing and enjoying the holidays. Hope yours were as good as mine. Anyway, I'm back and I'll be keeping it coming on this story. It's a short chapter this time, but I hope to have a better one going soon. In the meantime, enjoy.**

Hal spent the next hour burying the body of Abin Sur. It was the least he could do. The man had died a long way from home. He probably had a family on whatever world he came from. He at least deserved a proper burial.

After he was done, he took in his surroundings. He was in the middle of the desert, at least thirty miles from the airfield. "How am I going to get back?" he wondered. He could call Carol or Tom, but then he would have to explain how he ended up in the middle of the desert. He looked at his hand and the ring that now occupied his finger. "I don't suppose you have any ideas."

The ring started to glow and began to speak. _**I am programmed to obey your mental commands, provided they do not conflict with the code of the Guardians.**_

"Mental commands?" Hal thought for a moment. He remembered when the ring first found him, how it had lifted him into the air. It was the greatest feeling in the world, flying through the air. He had never felt more alive. "I wish I could do that again."

In an instant, he had shot up into the sky and was heading towards the airfield. "WOOOOOOHOOOOOOOO!" he shouted. He was loving this. It was the single coolest experience of his life.

As he flew out of sight, he was unaware that he had been watched the entire time by two men. These men were unaware of each other or their missions, but they both had the same goal. They both wanted the ring.

One of the men turned away from the wreckage and headed toward the city. The ring bearer had gone that way. That was where he would find his prize.

The other walked out to the wreckage and examined it. He, too, wanted the ring, but he had questions that needed to be answered first. The organization he worked for did not tolerate those who acted on impulse. He pulled out a phone and made a call. "This is Hammond. Tell Waller I have something interesting."

Meanwhile, Chloe had arrived at her motel room and looked over her notes. She knew that Jordan would try to use the ring, but he would need guidance. Chloe would do her part to help, but this one was a little out of her depth. Fortunately, she knew of somebody who would be able to help. It was a risky move, but one she would have to make if Hal Jordan was going to fulfill the destiny she had forseen.

The vision wasn't clear. She only knew that she had seen Jordan, blazing with emerald fire, fighting off a great darkness with Clark, Oliver, and many others by his side. There was a war coming and Clark would fight it, but he would need Hal Jordan's help to see it through to the end.

She pulled out a phone. It would be very hard to trace the call, but not impossible. She could only hope that she got the message delivered quickly. Fortunately, she had packed her things this morning and would be moving to another motel across town. She dialed the number and waited. Finally, a voice on the other end said "Gotham Broadcasting. How may I direct your call?"

"Get me Alan Scott. Tell him it's urgent."


	5. Chapter 5

Hal couldn't sleep that night. Flying with the ring had been exhilarating, the most exciting experience of his life, but there was so much about this ring that he didn't understand. What else could he do with it? Was there a limit to it's powers? He wanted to find out, but how? He had tried asking the ring, but all it had told him was the same thing it had said before. It was programmed to execute his mental commands. Hal wasn't sure what that meant and, considering the previous owner wasn't exactly from around here, he didn't know who he could ask.

He thought about that afternoon, flying around the desert with the ring. It was more exciting than flying his jet, but it was too easy. He liked the challenge and the danger of flying a plane. He liked living on the edge. Next time he went flying, he would probably leave the ring at home or in his locker at the airfield.

He thought about his father's plane, reminiscing about the times his dad had taken him up in it. He tried as hard as he could to remember every detail of that plane. He closed his eyes as he concentrated and tried to focus on the image of it in his mind. Suddenly, he felt a tingle in his arm and felt a warm glow on his face. He opened his eyes and saw the image of his father's plane before him, created in glowing green energy. Hal couldn't believe his eyes. It was perfect in every detail, right down to the instrument panel in the cockpit.

As he examined the plane, the truth began to dawn on him. The plane had appeared because he was thinking of it. He thought of something else, a hammer, but nothing happened. "Why isn't it working?" he wondered. He thought about the plane again. He remembered concentrating, so he tried that with the hammer. Suddenly, there it was in front of him in perfect detail. "So if I think about it, the ring creates it."

He thought about flying again and took off into the night sky.

The next morning, Chloe was waiting at a diner just outside the city. She was taking a big risk, meeting in the open like this, but her contact had insisted. If this was the way to get Hal the help he would need, this was what she had to do. Still, she couldn't help looking over her shoulder every few minutes.

A moment later, the diner's door swung open and a man stepped in. He was tall and radiated confidence. He had blond hair that was turning grey at the temples and eyes that looked as if they had seen many wonders. He wore a suit, professional but not too fancy. On his hand was a bright green ring. It's shape resembled an old-fashioned railroad lantern. He strode across the diner and took a seat across from Chloe.

"Are you the one who contacted me?"

"I am. My name is Chloe Sullivan, Mr. Scott. I'm glad you could make it out here on such short notice. Thank you."

"No thanks necessary, Miss Sullivan. I was in the area on business, so I decided to drop in. My friend, Carter Hall, spoke of you once. He said you were a bright young woman with friends in high places."

"Something like that."

"So what can I do for you, Miss Sullivan?"

"I came to Coast City to follow up on some intel from a …unique source."

"The Helmet of Nabu."

Chloe's eyes widened. "You know?"

"Kent Nelson and I were friends for many years. I recognize the signs of the helmet's influence. What did you see, if you don't mind my asking?"

Chloe looked around the diner to make sure that they weren't drawing attention to themselves, then leaned across the table. Scott leaned closer, as well, and listened intently. "I saw darkness. Darker than anything I've ever seen. And I couldn't help but feel like it was…I don't know how to describe it, really, other than evil. Pure evil."

"Where do I come in?"

"I saw a light. It helped Cla-" She hesitated for a moment, then said "It helped a friend of mine fight the darkness. It was warm and bright and powerful." She looked directly into Scott's eyes. "And it was green."

Scott sat silently for a few moments, looking at the ring on his left hand. "I haven't used this ring in years, Miss Sullivan. I don't even know if it still works. I'm not sure how I'll be able to help."

"I understand, Mr. Scott, but with all due respect, I was actually talking about somebody else."

"There's another ring out there?"

"Yes, but not quite like yours. It came from somewhere out there," Chloe said, motioning skyward.

"Interesting. And the bearer?"

"Also not like you. He's different, but he's got a strong spirit. He would have to in his line of work."

"His line of work?"

"He's a test pilot."

"Okay, but if he has a ring, what do you need me for?"

"I saw it. The helmet showed you to me. You'll help him. He can learn from you and, maybe, you can learn from him."

Scott was quiet again for a moment before, finally, saying "Sounds intriguing. I'm in."

On the other side of the city, a group of federal agents had arrived in the desert to take custody of the wreckage. Two people stood to the side, watching the proceedings. One of them, a woman, spoke first. "Nice job, Agent Hammond. This is quite a find. "

"Thank you, Agent Waller."

"Any word on the ring yet?"

"I've got a team searching the city. If anything turns up, we'll know right away."

"Good. I want that ring found, Agent Hammond, at any cost." Waller walked away.

"Consider it done." Hammond put on his shades and approached the wreckage. Staring at it, he said "Show me your secrets."


	6. Chapter 6

Hal arrived at work that morning and the first thing he saw was the lovely face of Carol Ferris. Of course, it would be even lovelier if she wasn't shooting daggers with her eyes. Hal wondered what he could have done to put her in such a mood. He hadn't done anything even remotely worth the look she was shooting him…today, anyway.

Carol reached Hal and said "Jordan, where were you yesterday afternoon? You just disappeared without so much as a word as to where you were going or who was going to fly the new prototype!"

_I knew I was forgetting something_, thought Hal. "Listen, Carol, I can explain that."

"Really? Please, regale me with the tale of what was so important that you skipped out on an important test flight. Did it have something to do with that blond Tom saw you talking to?"

Hal started to defend himself but stopped when Carol mentioned the blond. He smirked and replied "Maybe. Why do you ask, Carol? Jealous?"

Carol's face turned red, but Hal couldn't tell if that was anger or embarrassment. She said nothing more save for a curt "Get suited up and get in the air." She then turned around and stormed off towards the tower.

Hal smiled to himself while he headed towards the locker room, making a mental note to kill his mechanic the next time he saw him. He got to his locker and changed into his flight gear, taking off the ring and leaving it in his locker. He preferred living life without a safety net. He certainly wasn't going to fly with one.

Not long after, he was up in the air and putting the new bird through its paces. It was after his third barrel roll that Carol's voice was ringing in his ears. "Jordan, stop fooling around up there. We're doing trajectory tracking today, not Split-S maneuvers."

"Just loosening up, boss lady. Beginning data feed now." He settled back into the cockpit and focused on the sky around him. The only sound he heard was the roar of the afterburners. This was pure heaven. He looked up at the sky and imagined his dad was flying beside him.

On the ground below, Chloe had arrived at the airfield with Alan in tow. They looked up into the sky and watched the jet and its daredevil pilot. "Okay, Chloe. We're here. Now what happens?"

"Time to be the hero again, Mr. Scott."

"What do you mean?"

Up in the air, Hal was snapped out of his trance by a sudden and persistent beeping. Looking at his instrument panel, he took note of the malfunction alert. Something was wrong in one of his engines. He was going down and he was going down fast. He suddenly lost power in his engines and the jet began to freefall. He tried to stabilize his descent, but to no avail. Now he was starting to wish he had brought the ring. Seeing no other choice, he punched out of the cockpit. Carol would kill him, but it was either the plane or him. He was sure she'd understand.

Below, Alan looked up at the falling plane. He sighed in relief as he saw Jordan's chute open, but his expression returned to one of panic when he noticed the path of the falling jet. Unless a miracle happened, the jet was going to land on Chloe. _Unless a miracle happened…_

Raising his left fist, he aimed his ring and focused all his energy on the jet.

Hal saw the people below and realized that the jet was going to fall on them. He knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they would be crushed and kicked himself for not wearing the ring. If he had it, he could have conjured up a giant catcher's mitt to stop the plane's fall. He then took notice of the man on the ground aiming his fist at the machine and both men were surprised when a giant glove made of jade fire appeared out of nowhere and gently caught the plane, lowering it to the ground just a few yards from where he stood. Hal floated down to the ground and landed not far from the plane, staring at the other man with wide-eyed amazement.

Alan stared at him with amazement. It had been years since he had used the ring and couldn't be more relieved that it had worked, but he was also overcome with the rush of excitement that came with using the ring to halt a perilous situation. He was still a hero, ring or not, and he still had what it took.

"How did you- What was- Where-…Who are you?" Hal said excitedly. He looked to Scott's left and saw Chloe. "You? What are you doing here? And who's this guy?" He took note of Alan's ring and his eyes grew wider. "You have one, too? I'm not the only one, then?"

"It seems introductions are in order. I'm Chloe Sullivan and this is Alan Scott. We're here about the ring you found, Captain. As you can see, we have a unique insight on what you're going through."

Hal smiled and shook his head. "I should have known you weren't from the FAA." He offered his hand to Alan, who warmly grasped it. "Hal Jordan. Nice to meet you, Mr. Scott. And you, Miss Sullivan."

"Is there somewhere we can go to talk, Captain Jordan? We have a lot to discuss."

Elsewhere in the city, Hammond and his team had the wreckage of the ship in a warehouse and were examining it thoroughly. "Make notes of everything, people. I don't want anything left out."

Most of the team was working on the front section of the wreckage, studying the control panel. Hammond, however, was far more interested in the engine compartment. He examined it carefully, fascinated by the crystalline fuel source. "For this, Waller should give me a promotion."

The crystal started to glow at the sound of Hammond's voice, getting brighter with each passing second. Just as the light was getting blinding, the room started to shake and the other agents quickly evacuated. Hammond remained where he stood, transfixed by its light. The last thing he remembered seeing was white before he was hit with a concussive blast and knocked unconscious.

Meanwhile, the other being who had seen Jordan in the desert had reached the city and began searching for the ring bearer. He would tear this city apart, if he had to, and pull the ring from the pilot's cold finger.


End file.
